Javier Luna and his family will spend six days in Hawaii so he can swim with his favorite animal, dolphins.
Palm Springs Desert Sun

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Javier "JJ" Luna is surprised by family and friends with a kick-off party for his Make-A-Wish trip to Hawaii. Luna was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and went through five rounds of chemo, the most recent partially impairing his ability to walk. He's currently in remission. He wants to go to Hawaii because he's always loved marine life. (Photo: Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun)Buy Photo

One Palm Springs family was on their way to Hawaii on Wednesday for a six-day vacation, after 12-year-old Javier Luna had his wish to visit the island chain granted by the Make-A-Wish foundation.

At a surprise party Tuesday evening, complete with hula dancers, leis and inflatable dolphins, volunteers from the nonprofit which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses told Luna he and his family would be getting on a plane the next morning and headed to Hawaii to enjoy the sun and sand together.

Luna said he was looking forward to taking a dip in the pool and the ocean – people undergoing chemotherapy often can’t swim because of the risk of water-borne illnesses and because they often have a port-a-cath inserted to administer the treatment – and going snorkeling.

“I’m really excited to swim with my favorite animal, which is a dolphin,” he said.

Javier "JJ" Luna is surprised by family and friends with a kick-off party for his Make-A-Wish trip to Hawaii. Luna was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and went through five rounds of chemo, the most recent partially impairing his ability to walk. He's currently in remission. He wants to go to Hawaii because he's always loved marine life. (Photo: Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun)

Luna was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in July 2016. The cancer, which progresses quickly, can be difficult to treat in children and requires an aggressive treatment plan, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.

He underwent four rounds of chemotherapy, the last two of which temporarily inhibited his ability to walk. He currently is in remission.

The family plans to visit a local children’s hospital when they’re in Hawaii to pass out goodie bags for families with children battling cancer. The bags will have Flaming Hot Cheetos – a request from the kids – and flavored coffee creamers – a request from the parents.

Luna said the trip was for his whole family to enjoy and relax together, and he wanted to thank all the friends and relatives who helped him when he was in the hospital, especially his mom.

“It’s literally a dream come true,” she said. “We’ve never been on a family vacation.”

She said the trip was a perfect birthday present for her son, who turns 13 next month. Garcia said Luna had been fascinated with dolphins ever since a trip to SeaWorld San Diego when he was a kid. He immediately fell in love with the aquatic mammals and told his mother he wanted to become a marine biologist.

Garcia said the trip would be a time for the family to regroup together and that she hoped it excited her son and that he’ll be able to enjoy some activities he couldn’t do or didn’t have the energy to do while he was receiving treatment.

“I hope he can be happy again,” she said. “We’ve still got a long ways to go, but we have a lot to be happy for.”

Corinne Kennedy covers the west valley for The Desert Sun. She can be reached at Corinne.Kennedy@DesertSun.com or on Twitter @CorinneSKennedy